"Protect the ecological environment, and it will reward you." This statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping is vividly exemplified by the people of Anji County in east China's Zhejiang Province, where a shift in perception has successfully driven a green transition.

Locals recall a time in the 1980s and 1990s when paper mills stained creeks reddish-brown, mining left the mountains barren, and wind-blown rubbish littered the landscape.

With a population of around 480,000, Anji has transformed from a region plagued by environmental degradation to a refreshing eco-tourism destination known for its fresh air, clear waters and green mountains.

These sweeping changes in the local geographic and economic landscape were made possible after Xi, then Party chief of Zhejiang Province, made an inspection tour to the county's Yucun Village on Aug. 15, 2005.

On that day, he conducted a field survey, visited the homes of local farmers, and held discussions with local officials over economic growth and environmental protection. As a matter of fact, the village decided to close quarries and cement plants and develop tourism to heal the environment in 2003, but the decision led to a decline in household income in the initial years.

During his inspection tour, Xi said that ecological resources were the area's most valuable assets, noting that the shutdown of these sites was "a wise move."

"Don't expect to promote economic growth at the cost of the environment because such economic growth doesn't equal development," said Xi, as he put forward for the first time the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

This concept reinforced Anji's commitment to an environment-friendly path to growth and, over the years, has become a cornerstone of Xi's thought on ecological civilization.

In just two decades, Anji has undergone a significant green transformation, leading to a thriving economy driven by rural tourism and bamboo processing and white tea industries. According to 2023 statistics, the per capita disposable income of its rural population had increased by five times since 2005.

To raise public awareness and encourage action to protect the ecological environment, China's national legislature designated Aug. 15 as National Ecology Day last year.

In the run-up to the second National Ecology Day which falls on Thursday, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council publicized a set of guidelines to ramp up green transition in all aspects of economic and